The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-05-19
THE ROMANCE IN FINANCE.

THE ROMANCE IN FINANCE.
How Mr. George W. Williams Paid Debt
of Honor.
The New York, World, Of Sunday,
contained the following special dispatch
from New Haven, Conn.,, in relation to
the story about the Southern grocer and
the New Haven bookkeeper:
"The very extraordinary financial
transaction by which nearly 100000 had
been restored to man who had no legal
claim to it, as given in the World of yes.
terday, was concluded by .Ex.Judge
Luzon B. Morris. The parties to the
transaction were Daniel Hand, wealthy
citizen of Guilford, slow village near
this place. and George W. Williams, Of
Charleston, s. c., armember Of the bank
ing firm of Williams & Birnie. The firm
also have an Office in New York city.
"Mr. Hand and Mr.. Williams were in
the grocery business on large scale in
Augusta, Ga, before the war, or rather
Mr.. Hand WAS in business and Mr.. Will
liams was his bookkeeper, with a small
interest in the business. Mr.. Hand had
real- estate in the South worth about
$500, 900 and was one of the wealthiest
citizens in that section. At the outbreak
of the war the grocery business was
wound up and Mr.. Hand determined not
to risk the fortunes Of war in the South,
but to come 10 this State and settle. Mr..
Williams determined to take his chances
in the South. MI. Hand was in guam.
Diary as to what to do with his real estate.
He thought that the war would wreck
the value of his property, and he knew
that if he attempted to take the deeds of
the property North with him and should
be searched on the way, the deeds would
be con6scated and turned over to the
Confederate Government, which was
established at the tiEe. In, fact, the
Southern officials were on the slert in
his case, and they suspected that he was
going to take some property North with
him that would be valuable To- the cause.
He was arrested and detained On suspi-
cion, but he found way out of his diff.
culties by going before Southern
magistrate and swearing that all his
property belonged to his partner, Will
liams, and then he was allowed to go his
way.
,"Mr., Hand turned the property over to
young Williams with the private under
standing that Williams would return it
to him after peace had been restored, if
be had it and felt so disposed. Noactual
obligation were laid on Mr.. Williams
shoulders. His honor was all that Hand
could depend upon. The war went on
apeace, and as Mr. Hand had partially
foreseen, the property was wrecked.
Young Williams, in fact, had lost it all,
or nearly all, in the year succeeding the
outbreak of the Rebellion. He after.
wards prospered, got into the brokerage
business in Charleston and made money
rapidly.
"Meanwhile Daniel Hand had been
living here on his place in Guilford. His
departure from the South had by no
means resulted in the destruction of his
fortune. With what money he bad left
he made shrewd investments, and like
bis yonpg bookkeeper, he made money.
Sometime ago he endowed the Hand
Academy in Madison, which he built, and
he is also said to have given large sum
of money to the Yale Divinity School,
in this city. Until about six years ago
he did nothing towards recovering the
property he had left in so peculiar
manner with Mr.. Williams. Heregarded
it as totally lost, and did not worry much
about it. Six years ago, however, he
consulted with Judge Morris and explain.
ed to him that he did not want Mr.. Will
liams pressed for the money, but if Dir.
Williams was willing to restore the value
of the property Mr.. Hand would be glad
to getit.
"Judge Morris advised bis client that
he had no legal rights in the case. The
Judge ascertained Mr.. Williams address
and communicated with him at once.
Mr.. Williams wrote, acknowledged the
obligation, and promised to pay not only
the 100000, but also the interest accur.
ing since the time when the property
came into his possession. The tone of
his letters indicated that he was entirely
willing and perhaps anxious to do this,
and he did not propose to allow any legal
quibble to prevent him from redeeming
his trust and vindicating his honor. The
amount was paid upon large installments,
and the total sum is given out as $780,.
900 or thereabouts. Mr.. Williams is a
very prominent man In Charleston. He
entertained Secretary Lamar and other
dignitaries at reception given at the
time the Calhoun monument was unveil.
ed, short time ago. His residence was
one of the very few in Charleston that
was not at all shaken up by the earth.
quakes. His daughter was recently mar.
ried to MI. Pat Calhoun, grandson of the
statesman, and he himself was once con-
nected with q failure on the New York
Cation Exchange that at the time aroused